CHARGING for planning applications is on the cards as Environment bids to speed up the process. The long-awaited planning law that includes proposals for fees for services and functions comes back to the States next month.

Environment minister David De Lisle has been critical of the time – currently about 16 weeks – it takes for applications to be processed.

‘Most jurisdictions now charge fees in order to offset the cost of the planning service and Guernsey finds itself out of step,’ said Deputy De Lisle.

‘This is part of a complete revamp of the process to bring planning more in line with other jurisdictions.’

An internal efficiency review was undertaken when Deputy De Lisle took over.

‘That found the scope for further efficiencies,’ he said.

‘However, it was also evident some of these were not deliverable under the current legislation and some were not practically deliverable at all with the current set-up.

‘And the immediate underlying problem was found to be one of resources, not efficiency.’

He added that the review had shown that the community wanted a better system.

‘And the key to delivery of this in the longer term would be through the new law and introduction of fees.’

The States is to debate the final stage of the law next month.

‘The new law itself is a major step forward,’ said Deputy De Lisle.

‘It contains service improvements including better enforcement by using compliance notices, a more accessible appeals system and better information for the public through the use of site notices.

‘Many of these new proposals aim to speed up the process, make it more visible to islanders and will also give the department more power to protect our natural environment.’

The proposed legislation also brings States projects under the same regulatory framework as private ones for the first time.

An ordinance under the new law will also increase exemptions.

It is estimated that this will help reduce applications by 15%.

‘I’m hopeful that the introduction of fees will help to run the planning process on a more businesslike basis and reduce further the number of applications,’ said Deputy De Lisle.

He added that there would be new expectations on the part of applicants in terms of service delivery.

And charging should also improve the standard of applications because people were more likely to think through schemes and avoid having to amend them, he said.